Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood
Release Date: June 18, 2013
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 371
Series: Cahill Witch Chronicles #2
Review Source: Received via Netgalley, but review is based on my own finished copy

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.

My Thoughts:
If you’re looking for a series book with a Happily Ever After then you should probably look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for something absolutely gripping, a book that will draw you in on every page, and will make you throw your hands up at the end and scream “whyyyyy?!?!?!” (that isn’t hyperbole, that was my actual response), then please, please check out ‘Star Cursed’, and the first volume of the Cahill Witch Chronicles, ‘Born Wicked’.

There are so many reasons to like these books. The world building is intricately structured, with such an intelligently written focus on gender roles. Just like in our world there are different factions within groups arguing about how to change the status quo and bring women back into power. 'Star Cursed' brings us to New London, a location which we only heard about in Born Wicked, a place where the Brotherhood rules even more strictly, especially as increased restrictions on women are being put into place.

While all the characters are layered and interesting, Cate is the real reason why these books work so well. Cate is so strong, even when her hands are tied. She cares so much, and she wants to do what is right. She doubts herself, like anyone would, but she really grows into her own in this book, embracing her power and seeing how magic can be very good or very bad, depending on who’s wielding it.

Without getting too much into spoilers, I just adore the relationship between Cate and Finn. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out how lovely they are together, and how refreshing it is to see a pair who suit each other so well, and respect each other so much. But while the romance is spectacular, the even stronger relationships in these books belong to those of the three sisters: Cate, Maura, and Tess. There is such an intense dynamic at play here, especially between Cate and Maura. Their bond is very complicated, but it’s one that Jessica Spotswood writes flawlessly.

As you may have been able to tell from my first paragraph, it’s putting it kindly to say that the ending of this book is cliffhanger-y (an official term) and heartbreaking. Even though I thought I saw it coming, it still completely broke me, just like the ending of ‘Born Wicked’ did, except this time even more so. As of writing this review it’s been a couple of weeks since reading the book, but I still feel all those emotions. When I think about the book my heart races and I want to start counting days until the next book’s release, except I know acknowledging that wait will break my heart even more. Basically? Jessica Spotswood sure knows how to leave her readers dying for more. I would seriously dislike her for that ending if a) she wasn’t so sweet a person, and b) her books weren’t so brilliantly crafted. Highly, highly recommended.

The Cover:
I liked the original series design better, but this is still gorgeous!

Rating:
[5/5]

Find Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

Relic by Renee Collins

Relic by Renee Collins
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 400
Series: Relic #1
Review Source: eBook for review from publisher

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive best she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. In Maggie’s world, the bones of long-extinct magical creatures such as dragons and sirens are mined and traded for their residual magical elements, and harnessing these relics’ powers allows the user to wield fire, turn invisible, or heal even the worst of injuries.

Working in a local saloon, Maggie befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs Burning Mesa. Though his intentions aren’t always clear, Álvar trains Maggie in the world of relic magic. But when the mysterious fires reappear in their neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.

Relic is a thrilling adventure set in a wholly unique world, and a spell-binding story of love, trust, and the power of good.

My Thoughts:
‘Relic’ is a book that is magical, exciting, and unique. It completely stands on its own, not reminding me of anything I've read before. ‘Relic’ is a Western style fantasy, an alternate history that contains magical relics, which are the bones of long dead magical creatures. There’s the cowboys and saloons you would expect in a Western, but there’s also magic and magical predators.

The book is also a mystery, with Maggie trying to figure out who is burning towns and why. Maggie’s parents and her brother were killed in the razing of her village, so she has a personal stake in figuring out who the culprit is and making sure they pay. ‘Relic’ also has a romantic element, though it’s a light part of the story, and there’s some chemistry with other characters. Landon is the swoony cowboy character, while Álvar is a mysterious benefactor who has a dangerous sexiness to him. That being said, this book doesn’t contain a love triangle at all, which I appreciated.

Maggie is a great main character. She’s bright, brave, and totally competent. She wants justice and will work hard for it, but she’s also not afraid to ask for help and admit when she's in over her head. I loved reading her story, and I found ‘Relic’ to be a completely fascinating novel. It’s intense with action and magic, and the story line is incredibly interesting. I appreciated how there was a full conclusion to the mystery element with just enough larger plot dangling to make you want to read more in this world. I fully enjoyed this fantastical debut, and I can’t wait to read more from Renee Collins.

The Cover:
Love!

Rating:
[Strong 4/5]

Find Relic by Renee Collins on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

Be sure to check back tomorrow, because I am thrilled to be featuring an interview with Renee and a giveaway as part of the Authors are Rockstars tour.

The Girl With the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

The Girl With the Iron Touch by Kady Cross
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 384
Series: The Steampunk Chronicles #3
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken...

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has....

My Thoughts:
If I’m being totally honest, books with romance are my favourite type. But steampunk adventures? Also pretty awesome. So what I love about these books is that they are adventurous and full of action, but they’re such kissing books as well. Finley and Griffin are definitely my favourites. They’re so swoony, even though their relationship is complicated. I loved seeing them admit their feelings for one another and having their relationship progress in different ways.

Finley is my favourite character, so I liked her perspective the most, but especially as the book went on I was intrigued by every viewpoint and the story as a whole. Emily is such a kickass character, and I loved seeing both her tough side and her relationship with Sam. Those two have such friendship and respect, so seeing how they wanted to save one another was a great part of this book.

This volume features the continued traps of the evil Garibaldi, who returns in a crazy and unexpected way. What’s interesting in this volume, like in the past, is how the author delves into issues of humanity when referencing automatons and the placing of mechanical parts into humans. Really, with all these things how could you go wrong with this series? When you can include both ethical issues and swoons in your steampunk romp, you’ve got a winner in my book. The Steampunk Chronicles is a series filled with characters who I enjoy reading about tremendously, and I can’t wait for the fourth book to be announced officially.

The Cover:
The girl looks a bit old, but besides that it's gorgeous!

Rating:
[4/5]

Find The Girl With the Iron Touch by Kady Cross on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

The Warlock's Curse by M.K. Hobson (Tour Review + Giveaway)

M.K. Hobson’s debut novel, The Native Star—the first book in her Veneficas Americana series—was nominated for a Nebula award in 2010. She lives in the first city in the United States incorporated west of the Rockies. Her favorite writers are Theodore Dreiser, Sinclair Lewis, Booth Tarkington, Gore Vidal, and William S. Burroughs. The Warlock’s Curse is her third novel. You can find out more at her website, www.demimonde.com.




Website: http://www.thewarlockscurse.com/
Twitter: @mkhobson
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mkhobson
Book trailer: http://youtu.be/oyrYAfu8IMg

Release Date: October 31, 2012
Publisher: Demimonde
Pages: 390
Series: Veneficas American #3
Review Source: eBook via CBB Book Promotions for tour review

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
THE YEAR IS 1910. Eighteen-year-old Will Edwards has landed a prestigious apprenticeship at Detroit’s Tesla Industries, the most advanced scientific research center in the United States. It’s a plum prize for a young man who dreams of a career in the new science of Otherwhere Engineering.

But his father doesn’t want him to go. And he won’t tell him why.

Determined to get there by any means necessary, Will finds unexpected support along the way. His old friend Jenny Hansen—daughter of a San Francisco timber baron—is eager to help him for reasons of her own. And so is his estranged brother Ben, who he hasn’t seen in over ten years.

But running away turns out to be the easy part. On the first full moon after his eighteenth birthday, Will is stricken by a powerful magic—a devastating curse laid upon his ancestors by the malevolent sangrimancer Aebedel Cowdray. Will must find a way to control the magic that possesses him—or the vengeful warlock’s spirit will destroy everything and everyone he loves.

My Thoughts:
The first thing that intrigued me about this book was the fact that it’s a steampunk set in the United States. It’s not often that I’ve seen a steampunk title set outside of England, so that immediately made me take notice. Once I started reading I was impressed with the fabulous world building. There’s a whole alternate history in this book, filled with science, steampunk, and magic. The book features such a dense setting, which at times was daunting, but overall really added to the richness of the narrative.

‘The Warlock’s Curse’ isn’t necessarily an easy book to read. It requires a certain commitment, because of all the characters and details about the science and magic. However, if steampunk science fiction is your preferred genre, then this is definitely one worth reading. What was unique about it, to me, was that while the characters were upper-YA age, it definitely had more of the feel of an adult book. It was more serious and focused on the plot, rather than the character-driven journey that most YA books feature. I actually would have liked to have explored Will’s relationships more, especially with Jenny, as I felt like we never got to fully understand her actions, despite learning a bit about her motivations.

This was definitely an interesting book, and I think that if you’re a big fan of the genre then you might enjoy it even more than I did. Also please note that while this is part of a larger series, it is the first book set in a different time period and with different characters, so you do not need to read any previous books to understand what is happening in this one.

The Cover:
I like it, although having Will as the main image on the cover would've made more sense, I think.

Rating:
[3/5]

Find The Warlock's Curse by M.K. Hobson on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

As part of the blog tour, M.K. Hobson is giving away some great prizes.

US Only
Prize package of *signed* copies of The Native Star, The Hidden Goddess and The Warlock's Curse as well as a swag pack of a Tesla Industries pin, magnets and a sticker *not shown*.

International
13 ebooks of The Warlock's Curse


The giveaways ends 12/30/12. Please see the Rafflecopter for full terms & conditions, and fill it out to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The full tour schedule can be found here.

The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent

Release Date: August 14, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Pages: 320
Series: The Unnaturalists #1
Review Source: ARC from S&S Canada

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
In an alternate London where magical creatures are preserved in a museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and danger.

Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.

As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.

My Thoughts:
Liked:
- I loved the idea of the museum of Unnaturals (mythical creatures), and I actually wish more time had been spent in that location
- There’s something very imaginative about the whole concept, with all of “Old” London having been sucked into this parallel faery world
- The differences between our history and the world of the book really interested me; I loved how the religious zeal of the past was reformed into this scientific fervour where everything was based on science and logic
- The style of narrative interested me: it was a dual narrative with first person, present tense from Vespa and third person, past tense from Syrus; it actually worked quite well in keeping the voices separate, and yet they complimented each other as well: it wasn’t jarring to go between chapters

Not so much:
- I would have liked to have known Vespa better as a character; we get her inner thoughts, and yet I don’t feel like her showed herself that much; I would have expected more emotional reactions in certain situations (e.g. more of a struggle in her as she discovers things about magic, considering she was supposed to be very scientific and entrenched in that world)
- The bit of romance was pretty stale; I like the idea of those characters together, but the depth of Vespa’s feelings came about rather suddenly, and it almost wasn’t necessary for the book
- While I was intrigued by the world building, it almost felt too busy; there was information overload at times, and yet also a lot of potential for ideas and plots that didn’t get fleshed out

Conclusion:
I definitely recommend that you check this one out for yourself because I liked it, I just found it a bit slow and hard to get into in certain places.

The Cover:
Super pretty! Love the lettering and the whole feel of the cover.

Rating:
[3/5]

Find The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

Release Date: May 22, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 416
Series: Steampunk Chronicles #2
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.

My Thoughts:
I really liked ‘The Girl in the Steel Corset’ and its sequel does not disappoint. ‘The Girl in the Clockwork Collar’ was a fun and adventurous ride from beginning to end. The writing is entertaining and keeps your interest, but the best part of these books are the characters. Finley is such an interesting and layered character, and I liked the continued examination of both sides of her personality. I also loved all the side characters, but I especially love the Duke of Greythorne, Griffin King. And most of all I love the interaction between Finley and Griff. I mean, sa-woon! The book is full of both of them reiterating how confusing their relationship is, and how Finley knows it can’t ever happen, but those two have chemistry like woah. I love it when books can bring on the swoon just with lingering glances and meaningful hand contact.

I did miss the London setting from the first book, but New York in that time period is pretty cool as well. I also think having Nikola Tesla show up in every steampunk type of book imaginable gets a little bit tired, but the way he was presented was still interesting.

One thing I really liked was the villain and his part in the story. A lot of times the bad guy can get cartoonish, so I liked how Dalton just seemed like a criminal. He was a bad guy and he was nasty and greedy, but he had different sides to him. He wasn’t just this diabolical presence: he seemed like a person too.

Overall I just really enjoy these books. The characters, the story, and the style of writing are all great, and I’d highly recommend them, especially to fans of The Infernal Devices series.

The Cover:
Hey look, a POC character actually shown as a POC! (In other words, A+) Actual cover design = pretty good.

Rating:
[4/5]

Find The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Release Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 330
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1
Review Source: ARC from Penguin Canada

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

My Thoughts:
This book is pretty great for a number of different reasons. The first is the setting, which is an awesome alternate history. I loved how the United States was made up of very different cultural influences than the ones we know, and I loved how it was discussed how the Arab countries were more open and liberal. Plus the history of the witches themselves was fascinating, especially seeing how that course of history made the society into a very strict paternalistic hierarchy. It all seemed very plausible and realistic, which made it all the more interesting.

Another great part of the book is the characters. Cate was pretty amazing despite everything she’s struggled with. She has to deal with the death of her mother and trying to keep her and her sisters safe from the Brothers, but instead of giving up she’s only become stronger. Though we don’t get to know him incredibly well, what we do know of Finn is awesome. I adored how he was bookish and a scholar, but also so fiercely protective of those he loves.

Finally, this book is also great because of the emotions it makes you feel. It’s full of crazy events and manipulation that will make your blood boil. Characters get pushed in directions that they despite just to keep loved ones safe, and while it makes you as a reader so angry, it also keeps you completely engaged.

I honestly can’t believe this is a debut novel, the story was so skillfully told, and the characters felt so three dimensional. I couldn’t put this book down, and I am dying for the next one in the series.

The Cover:
Like! So pretty.

Rating:
[Strong 4/5]

Find Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.